Knott's Preserved: From Boysenberry to Theme Park, the History of Knott's Berry Farm [Hardcover]

Christopher Merritt (Author), J. Eric Lynxwiler (Author), Tony Baxter (Foreword)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Angel City Press (June 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883318971
• ISBN-13: 978-1883318970
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #590,729 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully designed history of Knott's Berry Farm, May 14, 2010

By 

Dave "Davelandweb" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Knott's Preserved: From Boysenberry to Theme Park, the History of Knott's Berry Farm (Hardcover)

I often get disappointed with the purchase of books about favorite topics when the design and quality of the book looks less-than professional. This is definitely not the case with this perfectly-presented 160 page illustrated hardback volume. Filled with more than 200 never-before-seen and rare photos/illustrations (both black & white and color), it is a high-quality publication that is written well (huge kudos to Chris Merritt & Eric Lynxwiler) and designed beautifully (by Amy Inouye). After reading this book, I have a much higher appreciation of the more low-key Walt from Orange County (the other being Walt Disney). A hard worker and sharp entrepreneur, he overcame the hardships of farming during the depression to create a thriving restaurant and theme park in Southern California. The majority of the book tells the story of Knott's Berry Farm while it was run by the family, with a brief chapter at the end about Cedar Fair, the company who currently runs the theme park. There are plenty of behind-the-scenes stories about the creations of some of the classic attractions at Knott's (The Calico Mine Train, Halloween Haunt, Calico Log Ride, and Knoot's Bear-y Tales to name a few) as well as the famous Ghost Town, my favorite part of the park that is still there today. Pleasantly, this is an upbeat book that celebrates the family, the restaurant, and the park instead of being a sarcastic rant bemoaning what has changed or disappeared over the years. Tony Baxter (Disney Imagineer) wrote the forward to this book. Highly recommended for Knott's and Theme Park enthusiasts!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Long Overdue, May 20, 2010

By 

Dr. Bitz "Boss Angeles" (Los Angeles,CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Knott's Preserved: From Boysenberry to Theme Park, the History of Knott's Berry Farm (Hardcover)

This is the best and most lavish telling of the history of Knott's Berry Farm. The place deserves it. So many memories and a great American success story to boot. Lots of great images from the early days. You get more than a chronology, the pictures convey the soul of the farm and the personalities that built it. Lots of original art used to build the Ghost Town is included which has never been published. I used to work there years ago and went often as a boy. Those visits were very special and the book helps bring much of that back. A labor of love to put this together and now that the history is out there, hopefully the farm will continue to embrace it. Recommended.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally a book about Knott's Berry Farm, May 22, 2010

By 

Alex Rembrandt (Burbank, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Knott's Preserved: From Boysenberry to Theme Park, the History of Knott's Berry Farm (Hardcover)

I am so pleased to see a book - similar to Disney's theme park books - finally published about Knott's Berry Farm and its history. The authors did an excellent job with their publication. Everything from the stories behind the attractions to the people involved with the Knott's Berry Farm history are well told. My only wish is that there were more photos of the rides' designs, park maps from the years, and more photos of Knott's Scary Farm. BUT - outside of that, this is an excellent book - particularly for any theme park fans to have in their collection.